Water cooler



Feb. 27, 1934. H. E. BLooD ET-AL v 1,948,644

WATER COOLER 'A Filed Jan. 9. 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 `Patented seb. 21, 1934 i ,1,948,644

UNITED` srA'ras PAT-Enr oFF-,ICE-

wa'ra'n cooum n 'novara-E. mma moon-ma. arman, nen-txt. Mich., aligner: to Norge Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan l applicati@ :um s. rsa1. serai No. 501,504 4 cuna. (ci. sz-ns),

` 9 sanitary condition.

This invention relates to an improved bottled water cooling arrangement associated with domestic refrigerators of the mechanical. or absorption type.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved water cooling arrangement in connection with domestic refrigerators of the electric or gas operated type incorporating a freezer or evaporator unit in the refrigerated compartment. It

is an advantage to provide a water cooler in combination therewith if the cooler element does not usurp toomuch of the refrigerator space, as by providing a pre-cooled supply of drinking water it becomes unnecessary tol overwerk the ice cube trays of the freezer or evaporator unit, with a consequent waste and inconvenience and delay surrounding the' direct ice cooling` of a tepid water supply, especially when only a small quantity of water is required.

It is also an object of this invention to provide an improved drinking water fount or supply A applicable to domestic refrigerators of the type mentioned, which in its.- principal form is adapted to be built'into the refrigerator while being fed from anA automatic fount formed to receive the usual ve gallon bottles in which drinking water 'is customarily retailed. In a modified form, the structure of this invention is adapted for use in existing refrigerators where it is not practical to usethe automatic fount and bottle supply.

It is another object of this invention to provide a -water cooling reservoir insertible beneath the-freezer and evaporator unit and above the usual drip pan, the reservoir being so 'formedl that condensation on or drippage from the freezer will not lodge on reservoir;

vIt is still another object of this invention to provide a readily removable cooling water reservoir to facilitate the maintenance thereof in a otiwr and further @portant objects of this mvention willl be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying This invention (in a preferred form) is, illustrated inthe drawings and'hereinaftermore fully described., y .1' l On the drawingsz. Fig.1isaf1'0ntelevatiouofarefrigerator cabinet.` with thedoor omitted', to show the application ofonetofthisinventionthere to" y 'n.zisanenlargedcrwsectmncfthecoonng reocrvoirinaplaneparallcltoli'lg.1.v

ngisafragmeitaryenlarged line Ill-III of Fig. 1 with parts in' elevation, showing the draw-off cock.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentarytsection on the line IV- IV of Fig. 1, showing the slip joint for the supply pipe'- Fig. 5 is a front elevation of a modified embodiment of this invention wherein the supply fount is omitted.

As shown on the drawings:

The cabinet chosen for illustrative purposes comprises a refrigerated compartment 10 lformed in a box 11, the top 12 of which is specially formed for the purposes of this invention. It is usual in such structures to atleast form the compartment with a porcelain or enameled steel lining and in' the embodiment shown the outer casing 13 is similarly formed although, such details form no part-of this invention. Mention is made of them merely `because of the modified form of reservoir supplied for use in existing refrigerators, since it is difllcult to cut openings in the enameled steel casing of a completed refrigerator.

The compartment 10 contains a freezer or evaporator unit 14 as well as suitable shelving 15, one of which carries provision for the suspension of a drip pan 16 beneath the freezer unit 14.

In both forms of'the'inventio'n, a water cooling reservoir 1'7A is positioned on a shelf above the drip pan and beneath the freezer unit. While the reservoir could be located elsewhere the specined location is preferable,l since this is the coldest place in the refrigerator, where vthe aircirculation is ordinarily partially obstructed by the drip pan. The reservoir top 18 is preferably lain finish' is of compensating value because of durability, especially in e built-in form. l

The built-in type 0f cooler reservoir shown'- in Fig. 1 et seq. is-kept supplied with water from top. As shown the fount comprises a water seal chamber 19 above -which is a bottle supportingring20throughwhichthemouth21ofanin-i verted water bottle 22l projects. is well 1N -a fount preferably applied to. the refrigerator 1 known, this type of'fount is'self-feeding in that l'the bottle reeds VwaterV until theievel thereof inf the chamberlii ria to cover-the-mouth of the bottle. when the suiilciently'` preferably, mounted in slip joints for ease in disconnecting the reservoir. The upper joint, as shown in Fig. 4 comprises a flanged sleeve 28 surrounding the pipe and compressed -thereagainst by a nut 29. The lower joint shown in Fig. 2 utilizes packing 3G clamped by a nut 31 screwed onto the nipple 26.

An outlet nipple 32 is provided on the lower side of the reservoir adjacent the side wall of the compartment, to receive a short length of tubing33 clamped in place by packing 34 and a nut 35, the tubing leading to a union 36 from which tubing 37 leads through the compartment lining and thence in the walls of the refrigerator to a push type of faucet 38 which is preferably located in the sill below the compartment in order not to be subject to damage should the door be swung back. This arrangement con- 'serves the cold within the refrigerator as it is not necessary to open the door to draw oil' a supply of drinking water. l

The self contained or removable type of reser- -voir 39 .shown in Fig. 5 is intended to be supplied for existing refrigerators, as it is impractical to cut holes in the enameled steel of completed cabinets for the built-in type previously described.

In this form of the invention an oval or round opening 40 is provided towards the front of the 'reservoir for filling and cleaning purposes. A.

rim 41 as well as aV closure 42 are applied to the opening to prevent undesirable contamination of the contents. A discharge outlet 43 is also pro- .vided for a faucet 44. In this case the cabinet door would have to be opened for the filling and A removal of water.

` est water, which has settled to the bottom on In the use of the built-in form of this invention the inverted supply bottle 22 maintains the water Supply in the chamber 19 level with the extremity of the mouth of the bottle so that the chamber 19 and connecting pipe have a substantial pre-cooling effect before theA water reaches the reservoir. Since the draw-olf is from adjacent the bottom of the reservoir only the coldcooling, is drawn oil', so that a relatively large supplyof cooled water is available. Further, the location of the reservoir beneath the freezer .unit assures a very rapid cooling of the water, so that heavy demands can be made on the water supply without obtaining tepid water.-

We are'aware that many changes may be Jas made, and numerous details 'of construction may be varied through a wide range without departing from the principles of this invention, and we therefore do not purpose limiting the patent granted hereon, otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

We claim as our invention:

1. In combination with a refrigerator and a freezer unit mounted in the refrigerated compartment thereof, a water cooling reservoir in said compartment positioned beneath said freez er unit, a water bottle fount positioned outside the refrigerator for feeding Water to said cooling reservoir, conduit means connecting said fount and said reservoir, said means including readily detachable connections for facilitating the removal and cleaning of said reservoir, a draw-od connection from said reservoir, and a faucet connected thereto and mounted on the outsideof said refrigerator.

2. In combination with a refrigerator and a freezer unit mounted in the refrigerated compartment thereof, a water cooling reservoir in said compartment positioned beneath said freezer unit, said reservoir having a rounded top to facilitate drainage of water when defrosting the freezer unit, a water bottle fount positioned outside the refrigerator for feeding water to said cooling reservoir, conduit means connecting said fount and said reservoir, said means including readily detachable connections for facilitatingl the removal and cleaning of said reservoir, a draw-off connection from said reservoir, and a faucet connected thereto and mounted on the outside of said refrigerator. Y

3. .In combination with a refrigerator and a freezer unit mounted in the refrigerated compartment thereof, a water cooling reservoir in said compartment positioned beneath said freezer unit, a water bottle fount positioned outside er unit, a water bottle fount positioned outside the refrigerator for feeding water to said cooling reservoir, conduit means connecting said fount and said reservoir, said means including readily detachable connections for facilitatng the removal and cleaning of said reservoir.

HOWARD E. BLOOD. ORRIN A. BRANDEL. 

